Town Square

Utility, beautification improvements planned for Stanley Boulevard

Original post made
on Jan 21, 2009

Alameda County has big plans for a stretch of Stanley Boulevard between the Pleasanton and Livermore city limits--to the tune of $15.5 million.
The unincorporated east-west roadway that parallels the train tracks between Bernal and Isabel avenues is planned to undergo "beautification" improvements--widening the current bicycle/pedestrian pathway on the south side of Stanley to two lanes separating cyclists from walkers and the addition of trees and median landscaping.

I'd like the County of Alameda to send a letter to every child in our school district apologizing for not being able to get the supplies and teachers they need because they really wanted to underground some cables on Stanley in case someone who shouldn't be driving veers off the road.

Posted by Cal2008
a resident of Ruby Hill
on Jan 22, 2009 at 8:48 amCal2008 is a registered user.

Have you not been paying attention to your Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi and to Obama? Their billion dollar spending programs are intended for infrastructure for just these sorts of projects. These financial investments are designed to employ people and re-start the retail spending cycle, allowing companies to hire people, who will then be able to afford cars and homes that generate an exponential increase in tax revenue. Although throwing more money at the schools sounds good, it is really just a short-term solution, and we will be right back in this mess. Maybe the larger question is if government spending will help the economy as intended, it did little for Roosevelt; it was World War II that ended the great depression.

Posted by Pleasanton resident
a resident of Walnut Grove Elementary School
on Jan 22, 2009 at 8:52 am

I have been asked to pay a 100 or more parcel tax for my school
while my husband has lost his job and I may lose my house how about using this money for the schools instead of milking the residents on more taxes

- If $15M is spent on improving a stretch of road, that's $15M spent in Alameda County making jobs for workers here. 20% of that will come back as taxes. The trees and shrubs will be grown in local nurseries. This kind of project keeps the money in the neighborhood.

- How many parks, bridges, statues and monuments were built to create jobs 70 years ago? Those projects are still cherished today. Improving views and scenery is a quality of life issue - otherwise you would be living on the Peninsula.

- Would you rather a rebate check so you can buy a flat screen TV, or a new digital video cameras from China?

- When I visit rural Britain, it's beauty has been preserved by burying nearly all of the power and communication lines. They are an eyesore that can be eliminated while creating a generation of jobs.

- How about rereading the article.... the money is coming from service companies, it needs to be applied to community projects.

Maybe you should go to the meeting and demand that the jobs be at least 50% Alameda County residents. Of course, that might make you productive, not a complainer

Posted by Pedal Faster
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Jan 22, 2009 at 9:52 am

While beautification may be low on the priority list, there is no question that this road needs some TLC. Although commonly referred to as a "trucking route" in city traffic plans, it is in fact one of the few inter-town roads in the area that is available to automotive, bicycle, equestrian, and pedestrian traffic, and a major commute artery. The road has a significant sink hole created by abandon railroad tracks that has been expanding for years and the route is constantly littered with the scattered castoffs of overloaded gravel trucks and associated debris.

And then there is the Sunol/First Street section of the road, which few would categorize as anything but the intersection of "Disastrous Planning" and "Terminal Overload." The intersection at Sunol and Bernal is unsafe for motorist, cyclist, and pedestrians alike.

No one wants to see funding cut for schools. But government (and yes, the education system is a part of our government) has to learn to expand and contract with the associated revenue stream (just like you and I) equally, and without special preferences to lobbyists and special interest groups. And we cannot continue to put infrastructure projects at the back of the list indefinitely.

JF, relax. This forum is designed to share ideas. Why the personal attacks on Jackal?

Burying lines and landscaping are all fine and good activities. The larger point is these types of projects are not needed at this time.

Note the cost estimate is a ROUGH ESTIMATE. Sorry, but the days of rough estimates should be long gone. We need real budgets with real consequences for not meeting completion dates and cost estimates. The old way of doing government work should be over.

Addressing some of your other points:

- If $15M is spent on improving a stretch of road, that's $15M spent in Alameda County making jobs for workers here. 20% of that will come back as taxes. The trees and shrubs will be grown in local nurseries. This kind of project keeps the money in the neighborhood.

1. The jobs are not necessarily going to Alameda County workers. Typically, these jobs are handled by contractors and employees of the various companies that have an intersest in the project, like PG&E, Comcast and AT&T. Landscaping is contracted on a lowest bid basis. There is no law that states that the workers need to live in Alameda County.

2. Trees and shrubs might not come from local sources. Again, it's a bidding process. 3. As I addressed in #1 & #2, there is no assurance the money will stay in the neighborhood  to think so is to be naïve at best.

- How many parks, bridges, statues and monuments were built to create jobs 70 years ago? Those projects are still cherished today. Improving views and scenery is a quality of life issue - otherwise you would be living on the Peninsula.

1.Very few, if any new jobs will be created from this proposed project. Vendors already have trained personnel. The only exception might be some temporary employment on the landscaping side -- typically low paying work.

I don't understand your point about the peninsula  are you saying it is beautiful (it is, in my opinion, in many places)?

- Would you rather a rebate check so you can buy a flat screen TV, or a new digital video cameras from China?

1. a non sequitur.

- When I visit rural Britain, it's beauty has been preserved by burying nearly all of the power and communication lines. They are an eyesore that can be eliminated while creating a generation of jobs.
1. We are fast approaching a socialist economy but haven't fully succumbed. Once we fully embrace state control of our lives and 60-80% + tax rates on income, we'll be in a better position to compare what we do in this country with what is done in GB. This project will not creat a generation of jobs.

- How about rereading the article.... the money is coming from service companies, it needs to be applied to community projects.

1. The money is coming from rate payers, which means, it's coming from taxpayers, in the form of ever increasing fees. Ever wonder why your monthly service fees cost so much. Blame it on your politicians, who pass along what should be up-front taxes under cover of service fees.

-Maybe you should go to the meeting and demand that the jobs be at least 50% Alameda County residents. Of course, that might make you productive, not a complainer

Posted by Brad
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Jan 22, 2009 at 10:20 am

This improvement is a terrific idea-spend public money in infastructure in Alameda county and use private sector employees that are local residents. However the County should do ANYTHING until Pleasanton doea ALL approvals of Staples Ranch. Alameda County has already committed to Constructing the eastern extension of Stoneridge Drive to El Charro. When/if Livermore extends jack london Drive to El Charro THAT will be a hugh improvement to Stanley Blvd., Santa Rita & Valley, Santa Rita & Las Positas. What a concept !!!

As for public school funding- that problem/ solution is the California legislature. Chew on them and help make everyone productive.

Brad, none of the jobs are assured to use local employees, unless, by local, you mean people that live in California.

Also, the public school funding issue is a state AND local issue. We need to hold our school board and superintendant accountable. If you can't or won't attend school board meeting, send your representatives and the sup. emails. You can also make phone calls. Make your voices heards!

Posted by res
a resident of Donlon Elementary School
on Jan 22, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Those power poles didn't kill the drunks and speeders who hit them any more than the cars they drove did. Will the next change be remove all sound walls? people hit those and die too.
Oh wait they want to replace power poles with trees, no one gets killed running into trees right?

Sorry but the amount they are going to put into such projects could be put to better use. Money for CA infrastructure needs to be focused more on maintaining what we already have and things that could become real safety issues, like repairs or replacing old overpasses, waterpipes, and bridges, and safety inspections to avoid costly disasters.

Posted by Are you joking?
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Jan 22, 2009 at 3:49 pm

Maybe while we are at it we should we should spend a few millions for irrigation sprinklers on hiking trails, or maybe a nice new shiny handrail for the entire length of stanley, or wait maybe we could just repave every street in pleasanton because it would make it look better? Or we could follow the lead of the pleasanton traffic people and built 8 sets of green lights at every intersection (like the 8 green lights at the intersection of vineyard and Bernal next to the bridge, seriously count 'em)

all these prijects would be GREAT and SOOOO needed in these times and heck yeah, raise my parcel taxes to pay for them because Ihave nothing else I would rather spend my money on.

And just think of all the local jobs. Why, my neighbor, who just got laid off and my friends in town who have been out of work the past 3 months will have well paying jobs that will certainly last FOR GENERATIONS! Wake up, Pleasanton sheep, we need to tighten our belts and get smart. Cut wasteful government programs and trim the dead wood BEFORE recommending parcel taxes and fees, fees fees. Now I'm dreaming, since unions control our politicians.

Watch out, our money, in the hands of "can't spend enough, fast enough, legacy-thirsting politicians, is a sure loser. They will spend, spend, spend with seamingly no end!

For example, take a look at Mohr Ave., just east of Santa Rita Blvd. What was a simple sidewalk repair has turned into a complete beautification project: fancy sidewalk, new trees and shrubs. extensive irrigations, etc, etc. Don't get me wrong, in flush times, this may be a nice project.

I agree with Barb, we need to hold off on these projects. Just the basics while we're under the gun. I'm sure city officials will say this project was planned for and in the pipeline for the past few years. Makes no difference, we need leadership that can say "No, not right now". If anyone knows how much money will be spent on the Mohr project, we should all know. Pleasanton Weekly, can you probe and report?

Posted by whats-up-with-that
a resident of Mohr Park
on Jan 22, 2009 at 10:30 pm

Has anyone noticed how many bike riders are on Stanley Blvd? There's absolutley no need to add additional bike/pedestrian space to the existing pathway. To me it sounds like someone is trying to spend budget money now before they lose it later. If they want to spend some dough on Stanley Blvd, how about removing the old train tracks that traverse diagonally across the street (near the quarry entrance), resurfacing the entire length of the roadway,and turn it into the Autobahn it was always meant to be. A real revenue bonus for ALCO Sherriff Dept Motorcycle Cops trying to catch all the 'criminal speeders' going to and from work trying to earn a honest living....

Posted by Qwerty
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jan 23, 2009 at 11:15 pm

$15+ million for improving a short stretch of roadway? What's up with that? I don't understand how the project could possibly cost that much. It only keeps the money in this town if the workers and suppliers involved are coming from the area. I think it is a stupid use of $15M. I use stanley all the time and don't see any problem with it. They possibly could clean up the bike path periodically (ie get debris out of the way). Other than that I have no complaints.

Don't hold your breath waiting for this project to benefit locally on a large scale. Since contractors, local or other wise, will undoubtly be used to do this "beautification", guess who they will employ and where a large portion of the 15.5 million dollars(plus the usual over run)will go - to another country. When was the last time you saw anyone but so-called "immigrants" on a construction project(except possibly some english speaking non-immigrant that could be used as a middle man between owner and workforce).

There was a time a carpenter, electrician, plumber or construction worker wage was sufficient to sustain a family at a decent "middle class" standard, but no more. Contractors, in an attempt to raise profit margins, have elected to use the cheapest labor available - mainly the day worker labor force. Call me racist or what you will but the truth lies in what's observed on a daily basis... Or better yet - ask a union member.

How many decades will this project take to complete? If we're going to spend the money on this project that can wait until better economic times can we at least get on with it and get it done! I can picture this thing taking longer than the Golden Gate Bridge.